Reels and reel assemblies are commonly used to store and transport elongate lines of flexible material (e.g., wires, cables, ropes, cords, etc.), but their three-dimensional structure is inconvenient when unused. Unused reels can be difficult to store, and treating reels as disposable goods (i.e., discarding them after each use) can be uneconomical. Conventional reel assemblies are often made of wood material, which is heavy, requires mechanical fasteners, and is not moisture resistant. It is desirable to have reels that can be reusably disassembled from their three-dimensional reel configurations for easy storage.
Certain conventional reel assemblies have been made from lighter weight materials such as papers, plastics, etc. These are initially assembled from multiple slabs of material (each, broadly, a “blank”). Adhesives are commonly used to secure blanks in respective positions of a reel configuration. Though adhesives may be sufficiently strong to secure some blanks in reel configurations, they do not permit easy disassembly without damaging the blanks.
For improved reusability, some reel assemblies have used sets of blanks having corresponding interlocking structural features that can be used to secure the blanks together in a reel configuration. However, these sets of blanks suffer from various limitations. For example, in some cases the interlocking structural features provide insufficient strength to set of blanks in the reel configuration under the strain of the static and dynamic forces of the items stored on the reel in use. Likewise, in some cases, the very use of the interlocking structural features causes damage thereto, rendering the set of blanks incapable of reuse after disassembly.
One example of an interlocking structural feature that suffers from these limitations is a dart-type lock. Dart-type locks typically include an opening and a corresponding dart tab configured to be lockingly received in the opening. The dart tab typically has a widthwise span that is slightly wider than the width of the opening. The widthwise span of a typical dart tab is oriented substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the dart panel. As the name suggests, the front edge of a dart tab is tapered to a point. A force is applied generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the dart tab to insert the dart tab into the opening. As the front edge (i.e., the point) of the dart tab is inserted further into the opening, the widthwise span is increasingly compressed by the constraints of the narrower opening. This makes dart-type tags difficult to use in reel assemblies. Though the dart tab may show some widthwise resilience once it is received in the opening (e.g., the widthwise span may return to a width wider than that of the opening), the act of insertion tends to damage the dart tab. Likewise, the act of pulling the dart tab out of the opening tends to inflict additional damage to the dart tab. The damage inflicted by inserting and removing the dart tab through the opening can permanently deform the dart tab such that its widthwise span becomes permanently narrower than the width of the opening. When this occurs, the dart-type lock becomes inoperable. As a result, dart-type locks are not well-suited for frequent reuse as an interlocking structure in a reel assembly.
Reusability is also hampered in reel assemblies designed to carry heavy loads. Heavy loads require stronger structural elements. For example, the core component of a reel must be designed with sufficient strength to carry heavy loads. Prior reel assemblies capable of carrying heavy loads are not known to disassemble into constituent planar parts.
Accordingly, a reel assembly with improved reusability is desired.